News Releases
April 21, 2009
Contact: Robyn Nebrich, Organizing Director, 602-294-6900
STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO PASS THE FEDERAL BUDGET
Arizona students joined the United States Students Association and students across the country in a National Call-In Day to tell members of Congress that they support passing the federal budget with a reconciliation provision because the proposed investments to Pell grants and other higher education programs are desperately needed by students & working families.
“We held this Call-In Day because our federal government must pass a budget that invests in education, to ensure a sound economy and a swift economic recovery – while still cutting the deficit substantially,” said Arizona Students’ Association Chair, Michael Slugocki.
“I called my Arizona representatives today because this is a budget that puts students first, takes politics and special interests out of financing our education, and represents a major step in ensuring that our future is not dependent on our parents’ income,” said Slugocki.
“In order to build our economy in the long-term and create an educated workforce that is prepared to lead, we need serious reform of the student financial aid system and major investments in college access, completion, and affordability,” said Slugocki.
The Call-In Day was part of a national effort by the United States Student Association to ensure that Congress knows that students across the country are paying attention to Washington politics. “Young people applaud many members of Congress who voted to pass a federal budget that is good for students, we now look to the rest of Congress to do the right thing when they return from recess as they will have another opportunity to vote to make Pell grants mandatory,” said USSA President, Carmen Berkley. “This National Call-In Day was one part of our larger strategy to rebuild and renew America.”
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April 15, 2009
Contact: Robyn Nebrich, Organizing Director, 602-294-6900
University Students Say “No” to Drastic Increases in Tuition and Mandatory Fees
Statewide Advocacy Group Tells Regents that Another Increase is Unacceptable
Today the Arizona Students’ Association (ASA), a statewide advocacy organization representing all of Arizona’s public university students, announced its opposition to the new tuition surcharges and mandatory fees that the university Presidents have proposed for consideration at the April 30th Arizona Board of Regents meeting. Michael Slugocki, ASA Board Chair and a student at the University of Arizona, released the following statement:
The Arizona Students’ Association opposes all mid-year increases to tuition and mandatory fees for the upcoming 2009-2010 academic year.
The proposed increases, in the form of tuition surcharges and new mandatory fees, range from $422-1,280 per student and if passed, would represent the largest increases ever experienced by the State of Arizona. If these increases are approved, resident undergraduate tuition will have increased more than 200% in the past decade.
The Arizona Board of Regents already increased tuition and mandatory fees for the 2009-2010 academic year in December of 2008. With these additions, tuition and mandatory fees for resident undergraduates in 2009-2010 could climb as high as 21.7% at NAU, 29.7% at UA, and 33.1% at ASU above what they were in 2008-2009, in conflict with the predictability measures that were set in place at all three universities over the past two years.
“I’m deeply concerned that these proposed increases would really hurt college affordability in Arizona. These increases are massive – the ones on the table for UA and ASU would be the largest ever – and they come on top of substantial increases that were already approved by the Regents in December,” said Slugocki. “These additional hikes abandon the university Presidents’ promises of predictability and are coming at a time when Arizona and our country are in a recession. Students and parents are losing their jobs and losing their homes. It’s unconscionable for tuition and fees to be raised again, especially in such difficult economic times.”
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